Renting a Boat in the Keys

Dining at Morada Bay
Snorkeling at Matecumbe

Fishing at the Bridge

An essential part of a Keys vacation is boating. Some may think that the only way to enjoy the Keys is to own a boat. However, we found that there are a number of affordable boating options in the Keys for those who don’t own a boat. In our case, we started the week on a snorkeling trip to a reef off of Marathon. Later in the week, we chartered a sportfishing boat. And then, today, we rented a 23 foot deck boat from Robbie’s, the marina on Lower Matecumbe Key that is famous for its “tame” tarpon. At Robbie’s the tarpon have been hand fed for years and they sit like submarines, 5-7 feet long, awaiting the fish from the tourists. Robbie’s charges a whopping $1.00 per person to go on the pier and another $2..79 for a small bucket of bait fish to feed the tarpon—an unforgettable experience. Robbie’s is also a place where you can rent a boat for eight hours for only $235.00. You pay for gas (we used 22 gals.) and oil and tax and so it cost us about $320.00 but it was worth every penny. Though I am experienced at boating, I am certain that an inexperienced boater could comfortably handle this adventure. The staff at Robbie’s offers excellent advice as to operation and as to the places to see. The one thing you need to know in the keys is brown water (shallow) is bad and blue water (deep) is good. There are fines for churning up the bottom of the environmentally sensitive shallows. We embarked and quickly found the mangrove lined natural canal that takes you to the southern end of the Key. We toured the manmade canals of beautiful homes and equally interesting boats. Back into the open water we fished the bridge area and caught a mangrove snapper and blowfish. We went on the leeward side of an island and snorkeled. Then across to Upper Matecumbe to the Morada Café. I don’t know if I have been to a restaurant in a more idyllic setting. The family enjoyed a fine meal on the white sand while listening to island music. From there we rode from the bay to the ocean and back several times. We were so worn out we returned the boat before the 5:00 due time. Then back to the condo where we ate more fish ! Check out www.youtube.com/nosyfieldstone for vids of the adventure.